Israeli‑Palestinian Researchers Unveil Heat‑Resistant Wheat Variety ‘Ufuq’

Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Al‑Quds Public Health Society in East Jerusalem announced the development of a new wheat strain called “Ufuq”. The five‑year project, completed in July 2026, produced a variety that maintains productivity under higher temperatures and reduced water availability, addressing climate‑induced challenges to food production in the Middle East.

The work was funded by the Netherlands and demonstrates that scientific cooperation can continue despite the region’s security and political difficulties. The new strain is intended to help sustain wheat yields as climate change shortens growing seasons and makes rainfall less predictable across the region.